The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 24, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 09, 2004
Ing-shouh Hwang, Taipei, TW;
Hong-shi Kuo, Taipei, TW;
Tien T. Tsong, Taipei, TW;
Tsu-yi Fu, Taipei, TW;
Ing-Shouh Hwang, Taipei, TW;
Hong-Shi Kuo, Taipei, TW;
Tien T. Tsong, Taipei, TW;
Tsu-Yi Fu, Taipei, TW;
Academia Sinica, Taipei, TW;
Abstract
This invention discloses an electrochemical method for the preparation of single atom tips to replace the traditional vacuum evaporation method. The invented method for preparation of single atom tips includes the following steps: A substrate single crystal metal wire etched electrochemically to form a tip. The surface of the metal tip is cleaned. A small quantity of noble metal is plated on the apex of the tip in low concentration noble metal electrolyte. Annealing in vacuum or in inert gas ambient to diffuse the additional electroplated noble metal atoms and thus a single atom tip is formed on the surface of the substrate. The present invention also discloses the single atom tip so prepared. The single atom tip of this invention has only a very small number of atoms, usually only one atom, at its apex.